Forum Examines Bias In Fund-raising Inquiry

December 6, 1997|By MARC LACEY Los Angeles Times

WASHINGTON — In a forum set up to air complaints of unfair bias against Asian Americans stemming from the campaign fund-raising controversy, top Democratic and Republican party leaders on Friday traded charges of racial insensitivity before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

Joseph Sandler, the Democratic National Committee's general counsel, criticized a stinging fund-raising pitch sent out this spring by Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., for its ``clear racial overtones.''

It accused Democrats of taking in money from ``Red China, the Russian Mafia, Cuban drug dealers and Asian arms peddlers.''

The National Republican Senatorial Committee declined to attend the commission briefing and instead sent a letter that accused Democrats of making ``racially hostile smears'' against McConnell, who is chairman of the GOP senatorial re-election group.

Noting that McConnell is married to a Chinese-American woman, Republicans accused Democrats of smearing McConnell's family during his 1996 re-election campaign by urging voters ``to send a real all-American family to represent Kentucky.''

The session was convened by the commission to hear from Asian-American leaders, who filed a petition in September charging Congress, political leaders and the news media with stereotyping and scapegoating people of Asian descent during the campaign fund-raising scandal.

``When . . . white men violate campaign finance rules, they pay a fine and nobody gets hurt. There is no maligning of the entire race,'' said Suzanne Ahn, a Dallas neurologist who said she has been interviewed by the FBI because of her donations to the DNC.

``I think there is an incredible double standard here.''

Ahn and other witnesses told the commission _ an advisory body formed in 1957 to investigate complaints of racism _ that inquiries into the activities of Democratic fund-raisers John Huang, Yah Lin ``Charlie'' Trie and Johnny Chung have tainted the Asian-American community and prompted some to question the loyalties of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents who are of Asian descent.

Criticizing the DNC for quizzing Asian Americans about their citizenship, Ahn demanded that the party return her contribution, which amounted to $1,000 in 1996.

The DNC's Sandler said the party understands ``the anger, pain and frustration,'' and is working to improve contacts with Asian Americans.

Without agreeing to return Ahn's donation, Sandler said he takes her concerns ``very, very seriously.'' Commission Chairwoman Mary Frances Berry opened the session by saying that the assertions were merely allegations and that ``no determination has been made to the accuracy of these charges.''